A Taser fired by a police officer was the most likely cause of a fire which engulfed and killed a man in Plymouth, an inquest jury has decided. Andrew Pimlott, 32, had poured petrol over himself and was holding a lit match when he was hit in the back garden of his parents' house. An expert witness told the inquest PC Hodgkinson followed national policing guidelines on using the Taser. Forensic scientist Stephen Andrews told the jury it was his opinion as an experienced fire investigator that it was the Taser that ignited the petrol-soaked Mr Pimlott. Officers were warned of the potential dangers of firing a Taser in the presence of flammable liquids instructor PC Jonathan Reed told the inquest. ◾A Blind Pensioner was hit with one of the weapons in Lancashire when an officer mistook his white stick for a sword. ◾In 2012, James McCarthy suffered a heart attack after he was hit twice with a Taser at a hotel in Liverpool. ◾In December 2013, a teenage boy with complex Learning Difficulties was Tasered in the grounds of a special school, Chelfham Mill School near Plymouth. Since 2004, there have also been two cases where people with Epilepsy have been Tasered - one of then was already having a Seizure, and one of them began having one after being struck.
I think there needs to be stricter guidelines on the use of tasers, they should be used as a near last resort not first resort weapon
This man r.i.p. did not sound too sane to me
A tragedy we closed down all our old Psychiatric Hospitals we used to have... it was to a home, a refuge for men such as this
a tragedyI think there needs to be stricter guidelines on the use of tasers, they should be used as a near lastresort not first resort weaponThis man r.i.p. did not sound too sane to meA tragedy we closed down all our old Psychiatric Hospitals we use